Growing Givers Hearts by Jeavons and Basinger

Stewardship is a dreaded word. Once when I tried to recruit a man to serve on the Stewardship Committee, he responded, “That’s as bad as being asked to teach sixth grade boys.” Stewardship is church code for “money.” At least that is what people think. And we all know people talk more openly about sex than they do money.

In our congregation it is the time of year when the Stewardship Committee is hard at work, preparing the emphasis for this fall. We set the theme; we’ve outlined the main information booklet to be mailed. I’ve struggled over how to address the issue in worship – again – for the 33rd time (by my count). Once again I am confronted with the task of trying to convince people that Stewardship really isn’t about money; it’s about discipleship and it’s about love. If our congregation discovered it sits on top of an oil well and had all the money it needs for 100 years – We would still need stewardship because it is about discipleship and it is about loving God.

Many years ago I came across this marvelous book by Jeavons and Basinger. Each year since, at the beginning of stewardship planning, I retrieve it from my shelf and reread many of the passages I highlighted the first time through. The book grounds me in the task of reminding believers why we all give. It grounds me in taking the correct theological approach so that people grow and express their love of God through giving.

I really don’t like the term fundraising for church. To me the task of a fundraiser if different than that of a pastor. And the tools of fundraising may include a raffle or rummage sale, while stewardship is about giving, tithing, and offerings. Jeavons and Basinger, however, help me see the crossover between the two. Thus, the book is equally helpful for congregations engaged in stewardship and for any faith-based organization attempting to fund its mission. If your task is theologically based, this book will help you perform your task better, whether you call it fundraising or stewardship.

If you are leading an effort to engage givers in a Christian mission, this book will provide reminders and encouragement that you will find invaluable.

Jesus did not say to his disciples, “Your money will follow your heart.” That is conventional wisdom in fundraising but may well be the best explanation for why volunteers in many organizations are generous donors themselves, but it is not the essence of this teaching of Jesus. He told his disciples, “Your heart will follow your money.” In this teaching, Jesus points out the very powerful connection between the way people use their wealth and their emotional and spiritual commitments. p. 2

Henri Nouwen once said, “Every time I take a step in the direction of generosity, I know I am moving from fear to love.” p. 27

Note that this practice (tithing) also requires one to trust God enough for one’s own essential needs. It requires one to act on faith. p. 43

If Christian fundraisers show as much concern for their donors’ spiritual growth as their own organizations’ financial needs, these fundraisers will help grow their donors’ hearts, resulting in donors who are truly and more consistently generous over a lifetime. p. 67

Quoting Hannah Whitall Smith: “The greatest lesson a soul has to learn is that God, and God alone, is enough for all its needs. This is the lesson that all God’s dealings with us are meant to teach, and this is the crowning discovery of our entire Christian life. God is enough!” p. 71

In contrast, when Christian organizations approach the end of one fiscal year after another clawing and scratching toward their stated goals, a very different message is communicated to constituents about God’s ability to meet the needs of the church. These organizations say they serve a God who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills,” but, plainly stated, many Christian ministries operate in a perpetual state of scarcity and financial panic. The message conveyed to supporters out of this panic is that God is unable to supply even the most basic needs, let alone provide funds for new programs. If this message of panic is a contrived fundraising technique, it is doubly harmful. p.73

“I don’t need a calendar to know it’s May,” the longtime friend of a Christian ministry stated. “Any day now, I’ll get that ‘with two months to go in the fiscal year, we still need $300,000 to balance the budget’ letter. I’ll give again, but I have to tell you, after more than twenty years, the crisis approach is wearing thin.” p. 81f.

Appeals that focus exclusively on crises, whether internal or external to the organization, reinforce donors’ perceptions of scarcity, and work against joyful giving in response to God’s great abundance. p. 83

As one observer puts it, “Our fundraising methods reflect not only the character of our organization, but also its values. They reflect who we are. Whatever methods we use ultimately come from the hearts of the leadership.” p. 109

We take care to check up on what sponsors hear in what we’re doing.” Compassion International actually runs focus groups to find out what people glean from the material the organization puts out—what message the donors are taking away—not just what is making them give. p. 110

Quoting one development officer: “If possible, during donor visits, I try to encourage the individuals with whom I’m meeting to talk about what God’s been doing in their hearts as a result of their giving.” p. 111

Quoting Bishop Manuel Moreno of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson: “It’s more than just money that people are giving. It’s part of their life. They worked hard to earn what we are asking them to give away.” p. 118